Friday, June 20, 2008 |
8:42 am
8th Series - Water Triple - All guns retired
The 8th series of the NARC is now underway. The weather won't seem to let up, as it is raining yet again.
Coming into this test, there are only 16 of the 39 dogs that have not yet handled in the competition. Number 19, Mac DuBose and Dyna, have just been called to the line as we write this update.
The test is a water triple, and all gunners are retired. On the left is a flyer at about 100 yards, which is sluiced upon hitting the water. In the middle is the long retired at about 240 yards. This bird is being thrown from right to left. To the right is the short retired at about 60 yards. This bird is being thrown from left to right into some marshy grass.
The test dog team of Margo and Ammo ran first at 7:30 am. Ammo was clean, but with one big hunt. Next came Dave and Talla, who had to handle on the right retired. It is taking about 8 minutes per dog to complete the test.
This test is again in an area with limited cell phone access (I think we can all sympathize with this annoyance), so updates on this test may be less than the others.
More Later...
11:15 am Update
Here is a more detailed explanation of the test, from our on-site reporter Jean Wu:
The 8th series of the NARC is on a property only five miles from Headquarters. Heavy fog obscured the test while being set up and the skies are overcast with a forecast for more rain all day.
Two ponds lay before us with a berm bisecting them from right to left with a few trees mid-point.
8th Series - Water Triple - All guns retired
The 8th series of the NARC is now underway. The weather won't seem to let up, as it is raining yet again.
Coming into this test, there are only 16 of the 39 dogs that have not yet handled in the competition. Number 19, Mac DuBose and Dyna, have just been called to the line as we write this update.
The test is a water triple, and all gunners are retired. On the left is a flyer at about 100 yards, which is sluiced upon hitting the water. In the middle is the long retired at about 240 yards. This bird is being thrown from right to left. To the right is the short retired at about 60 yards. This bird is being thrown from left to right into some marshy grass.
The test dog team of Margo and Ammo ran first at 7:30 am. Ammo was clean, but with one big hunt. Next came Dave and Talla, who had to handle on the right retired. It is taking about 8 minutes per dog to complete the test.
This test is again in an area with limited cell phone access (I think we can all sympathize with this annoyance), so updates on this test may be less than the others.
More Later...
11:15 am Update
Here is a more detailed explanation of the test, from our on-site reporter Jean Wu:
The 8th series of the NARC is on a property only five miles from Headquarters. Heavy fog obscured the test while being set up and the skies are overcast with a forecast for more rain all day.
Two ponds lay before us with a berm bisecting them from right to left with a few trees mid-point.
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The 8th Series
The triple has all three guns retiring and all three use ducks, both hens and drakes. The first gun is in the middle at about ten o’clock. They throw a duck from atop the mound from right to left. It lands on the back side of the mound at 240 yards. These guns will retire into the treeline. The line to the bird is along the land between the two ponds, then into the left portion of the stick pond out onto a berm with medium cover, then it re-enters into a horizontal channel of water (not visible as such from the line) to the mound. The second bird is dead ahead on the far side of the right pond. Gunners throw their duck from left to right to land in tall green marshy grass, often with a splash. The line to this bird is shaving by a tree on the right, over a large white flat rock into the stick pond to the far shore. This bird is 160 yards out. The flyer guns are positioned on the shoulder midway on the right edge of the left pond, at about 90 yards. Their bird is thrown right to left towards a wood duck house about 100 yards (maximum) and is sluiced as the last bird down. The 2 retired gunners retire when the dog is sent for the flyer, but the flyer guns remain standing until the dog has picked up their bird. Order is middle—right—and then flyer (on the left).
The test dog team of Margo and Ammo came to the line at 7:45 a.m. and did a clean job overall. Ammo had an especially nice line to the middle retired and had a hunt on the berm before coming up with the duck. This showed the hidden water and cover enroute to this bird. The right guns were instructed to get their bird into the green grasses on the water’s edge for the second test dog team of David and Talla. This mark then proved much more difficult and the judges instructed David to handle Talla to the bird. Talla’s line to the middle long mark was through the water in front of the flyer guns. It seemed it would be impossible for any dog to be able to recover this bird from that position, but Talla nearly pinned it!
Obviously this test will provide answers for the judges.
The series officially began at 8:36 a.m. with #18, Steve O’Connell and Bull; they did a nice job. As I write this, dog #21 unfortunately handled on the right bird and picked up. Dog #26 just completed her run without a handle but made a big detour into a far stick pond to the left of the middle gun before getting the bird.
We’ll have to wait and see how this series shakes out, but the gallery is as quiet as an E.F. Hutton commercial!
Of the five dogs run, there has been one very good job by #18, a pick-up by #21, two good jobs with #19 and #25 and the big hunt with #26.
Note: With questionable air-card reception, updates and photos will be handled as we can do them. Photos may come later. With light drizzle and overcast skies the air is electric with tension.
Wish all of you could be here. Will keep you posted as best we can!
12:00 noon Update
We are taking a small break for a gun change. Number 58 has just finished running. After the gun change, it will be dog number 66's turn, the defending National Open champion. The weather appears to be holding up, but we all know that can change very quickly.
Things started off pretty rough, but there have been some improvements in the jobs being turned in. Dog number 26 had a huge handle on the middle, long bird; #56 also handled on this same bird. Dog #s 41 and 45 both turned in a really nice job. This test is set up such that it is very difficult to have a perfect line to the birds.
Currently, it is taking about 12 minutes per dog to run the test. We are almost half-way through the field with 21 dogs left to run the 8th.
3:00 pm Update
This seems to be getting repetitive, but it is pouring out again.
We are currently on dog number 108. There are 7 dogs left to run after 108 completes the test.
So far, #84 had a handle and a pop and dog #91 had to pick-up. There have been 2 more handles since the last update. On the flip side, an excellent job was turned in by dog 100.
It is expected that the 8th will finish today, but we will not be moving on to the 9th tonight. Though we have not been told yet where the 9th and 10th series will be held, we do know that there is no cell service, so updates will be extremely seldom. But rest assured that we will provide you with as much information as we can and as soon as we can.
4:40 pm Update
We are on our last dog for the day, number #17 Crow River's Cougar's Mad Max and Jessie Kent. She actually just handled on the right bird...
True to form, the sun came out for the last 2 birds.
Once 17 has completed the test, the testing will be done for the day. Since our last update, #11 handled on the middle bird and #15 handled on the right bird. 2 no-birds were called for dogs when the middle bird landed on the front side. Dogs which chose the open land en route to the water on the right bird (instead of slicing by the tree, through the green grass on the right and staying in the cover and water), often did not have a strong mark and would end up racing around the mound.
The agenda tomorrow indicates that a worker's caravan will be leaving headquarters at 5:30 am, a contestant's caravan will leave from the same location at 6:30 am. Test dog for the 9th series is slated for 7:30 am, with the 1st running dog at 8:00 am. The 9th series will be held at a location referred to as Elmore. It is still not known what the test will actually be.
Callbacks to the 9th series will be posted at headquarters tonight. We'll let you know what the judges have decided once they are released.
The test dog team of Margo and Ammo came to the line at 7:45 a.m. and did a clean job overall. Ammo had an especially nice line to the middle retired and had a hunt on the berm before coming up with the duck. This showed the hidden water and cover enroute to this bird. The right guns were instructed to get their bird into the green grasses on the water’s edge for the second test dog team of David and Talla. This mark then proved much more difficult and the judges instructed David to handle Talla to the bird. Talla’s line to the middle long mark was through the water in front of the flyer guns. It seemed it would be impossible for any dog to be able to recover this bird from that position, but Talla nearly pinned it!
Obviously this test will provide answers for the judges.
The series officially began at 8:36 a.m. with #18, Steve O’Connell and Bull; they did a nice job. As I write this, dog #21 unfortunately handled on the right bird and picked up. Dog #26 just completed her run without a handle but made a big detour into a far stick pond to the left of the middle gun before getting the bird.
We’ll have to wait and see how this series shakes out, but the gallery is as quiet as an E.F. Hutton commercial!
Of the five dogs run, there has been one very good job by #18, a pick-up by #21, two good jobs with #19 and #25 and the big hunt with #26.
Note: With questionable air-card reception, updates and photos will be handled as we can do them. Photos may come later. With light drizzle and overcast skies the air is electric with tension.
Wish all of you could be here. Will keep you posted as best we can!
12:00 noon Update
We are taking a small break for a gun change. Number 58 has just finished running. After the gun change, it will be dog number 66's turn, the defending National Open champion. The weather appears to be holding up, but we all know that can change very quickly.
Things started off pretty rough, but there have been some improvements in the jobs being turned in. Dog number 26 had a huge handle on the middle, long bird; #56 also handled on this same bird. Dog #s 41 and 45 both turned in a really nice job. This test is set up such that it is very difficult to have a perfect line to the birds.
Currently, it is taking about 12 minutes per dog to run the test. We are almost half-way through the field with 21 dogs left to run the 8th.
3:00 pm Update
This seems to be getting repetitive, but it is pouring out again.
We are currently on dog number 108. There are 7 dogs left to run after 108 completes the test.
So far, #84 had a handle and a pop and dog #91 had to pick-up. There have been 2 more handles since the last update. On the flip side, an excellent job was turned in by dog 100.
It is expected that the 8th will finish today, but we will not be moving on to the 9th tonight. Though we have not been told yet where the 9th and 10th series will be held, we do know that there is no cell service, so updates will be extremely seldom. But rest assured that we will provide you with as much information as we can and as soon as we can.
4:40 pm Update
We are on our last dog for the day, number #17 Crow River's Cougar's Mad Max and Jessie Kent. She actually just handled on the right bird...
True to form, the sun came out for the last 2 birds.
Once 17 has completed the test, the testing will be done for the day. Since our last update, #11 handled on the middle bird and #15 handled on the right bird. 2 no-birds were called for dogs when the middle bird landed on the front side. Dogs which chose the open land en route to the water on the right bird (instead of slicing by the tree, through the green grass on the right and staying in the cover and water), often did not have a strong mark and would end up racing around the mound.
The agenda tomorrow indicates that a worker's caravan will be leaving headquarters at 5:30 am, a contestant's caravan will leave from the same location at 6:30 am. Test dog for the 9th series is slated for 7:30 am, with the 1st running dog at 8:00 am. The 9th series will be held at a location referred to as Elmore. It is still not known what the test will actually be.
Callbacks to the 9th series will be posted at headquarters tonight. We'll let you know what the judges have decided once they are released.
The three judges
7:00 pm Update
The callbacks have been released and 21 dogs have been carried on to the 9th series of the NARC. 18 dogs have been dropped. These are numbers 10, 11, 15, 19, 21, 26, 27, 36, 38, 43, 56, 58, 84, 87, 91, 102, 108, and 126.
Number 48, FC-AFC Pure Labs Skys The Limit and Peter Goodale, will start off the 9th series tomorrow morning.
The callbacks have been released and 21 dogs have been carried on to the 9th series of the NARC. 18 dogs have been dropped. These are numbers 10, 11, 15, 19, 21, 26, 27, 36, 38, 43, 56, 58, 84, 87, 91, 102, 108, and 126.
Number 48, FC-AFC Pure Labs Skys The Limit and Peter Goodale, will start off the 9th series tomorrow morning.
